Knitting machine



Nov. 9, l1943. w. H, BOALER ETAL 2,333,697

vKNITTING MACHINE v ,Y Filed Jan. `223. 1941 4 sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 9, 1943. w. H. BOALER ET AL. 2,333,697

I KNITTINGVMACHINE I Filed Jan. 28, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. H. BOALER. AF. GUYLER.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 PATENT.; LoFi-'lcs' I 2,333,697 Y o micnlur: william -Hen'r'yfnoaier and Albert surname Guyl'er,` Spondon, near Derby, England, assignors to Celanese Corporation ofAmerica. 'a oor- .o poration ofDelaware Applicaten January 2s, 1941, sei-lai No. 316,290 a `In vGreat February s. 1940 j o of the fabric.

In warp knitting machines, thelarge number of threads are led to the needlesby means. of guides, one foreach thread, thelgulde being mounted in one or more guide bars and the guides in each bar being simultaneously and similarly operated. The loperation of the guides involves two kinds of movement, rst1y`, movements parallel to the length ofthe series of needles by which the threads are'V knitted, either behind the needles soV as lto guide ythe threads from needle to needle behind the needle series,v or in front of the needles to lap the' threads under the beards of the needles, and secondly, movements acrossv theline of the series-of needles, `from front to rear or from rear to front of the needles.

After the threads are lappdhnder'the beards of the needles theneedles are simultaneously operated to produce a'course of knitting before a further' series of motions4 of the guides takes place. It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine and a method of knitting in which the guide movements 'odtlinedabove are simplified.l n i According to the present invention, a method of warp knitting comprises knitting a. series of warp'threads all together on a series oi needlesA into a succession of courses, engaging said series of threads constantly at a vcorresponding series oi pointsj above and infront of said, series of needles in order to guideeach warp thread to the apv propriate needle` 'in each course, moving said points between successive courses in a direction parallel to said series of needles, so as to guide said warp threads to different` needles in diiferent courses, and periodically, after the knitting of each course of fabric and immediately before Y Y the rising of theneedles, engaging each thread between said series of points and the needle on which it was last knitted and pressing it across the length'of saidseries of needles into engage-Y ment with the front Voi a needle preparatory-to knitting the next'course. Each thread may, Yin this manner, be brought into proper engagement with the needle on which it is to be knitted without the necessity of any motion across the line. of the needles of the series vof guides by which the warp threads are constantly engaged.

The means employed according tothe tion for bringing about the necessary motions of inven- 5I the threads comprise.. in addition to the series of guides, disposed always above and in iront of the needles. with' whichthethreads are in constant engagement, a series ofthread-engaging y ,15 elements forl coming intol engagement with the threads at every course and for pushing them across the line/of. the needles., For, this purpose, use may be made ofthe sinkers, ordinarily provided in the machine to act as a support for the 4wifabric and to holddown thefabric each time the needles rise after knitting. In addition to the ordinaryc sinkerthroat (by which the holdingdown is effected) a further throat or notch is provided above the level at which the fabric is l5 formed, the s inker being made of suillcient depth to 'provide material forthe formation of a notch. Y

Sincethe guides by which the threads are oonstantly engaged do not need to be moved at right angles to the length of-,the needle series, the motions of these guides is. very greatly simplified.

such

' motion across the line of the needles they need not be formed as a series of thin fingers, but can be, for example, a series of holes in a continuous plate or a series of grooves in a continuous bar. Thus, accuracy in the lengthwise positioning of the guide bar becomes of less importance, which in turn again simplifies the operating mechanism. Furthermore, greater freedom is allowed in the manner in which the threads may proceed to the guides. vWhere the guides have movements both from side to side and back andforth, it is necessary that ,the threads should reach them from substantially directly above. If the guides have only movements from siden toV side however, the threads may be led to them horizontally or obliquely from the rear. By these means, the whole, designof th'e machine is simplified, and in particular the heavy warp beams from which the threads are supplied can be placed lower in the machine so that the centre of gravity of the machine lis kept down. All these factors, viz. the simplification ofthe guide bar movement, the :tact that more time in the cycle is available for it, and the reduced height of the machine, tend to reduce vibration in the machine, and. together with the reduced need for accuracy in the guide bar positioning, enable greater knitting speeds to be achieved.'

The invention is applicable generally to warp This not only simpliiies the mechanism by which easily be effected. While the invention may be.

applied also to circular machines, somendifilculties arise in connection with the necessarysimultaneous radial motion of all the sinkers' of such a machine. This diiliculty, however, may be overcome by suitable mechanism, ze. g. bythe provision of pivoted or slidable sinkersiand .of 'an operating member in the form of aring movable parallel to the axis of th'e machine land acting' on the sinkers so as to cause them all tovmove inwards or outwards simultaneously.

By way of example, a particular method of carrying out the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the'accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation, and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing needles, guides, sinkers and pressers in one posi# tion during knitting,

iafxsnn jof -tiiejthresds s and s1 yagainst 'the 'Shanks' II"'is"clearlyifindicated in Figure 6. The

further rise of the Afneedle is accompaniedby a further 'movement `of the Aguide liars f8' and "9.

In Figures 7.8 vand 9 theneedles have begun rto fallendA the threads and l enter the beards ,ofthe-appropriate needles. (It will be se'en frein Figure 8 "thatfthe thread "'l lfshofwn therein is within *the "SeppeA f the beald A'of the v'needle a1- thoughtlieneedle'v'lsible in that ilgu're iscoverving the'needleby whichl the Vthread is actually engaged.

Figures 4 to 18 are ve similar ets, 'of three figures each, showing iive further stages, and

Figure 19 is a side elevational' view, partly-in section and partly broken away, oi.` a warp knitting machine embodying ourinvention, andA Figure20 is a partial front of the same.

elevational view Referring to Figures 1 to 3 the needles are indicated at I and the beards of the needles at 2. The sinkers are shown at 3 and it will beseen that each sinker is provided with a holding' down throat 4 and a threadengaging throat or notch 5. Two threads 6 and I are show n, each of these threads being representative of a series of threads, one for each needle, guidedby thread guide bars 8 and 9. The thread guide bars 8 and 9 are disposed in front of the needles I, i. e. ton the beard side, and are capable of moving .only` in a direction parallel tothe length vof the' series of needles I. i. .e. parallel to the plane of the paper in Figures 1 and 3 and at right angles to the plane of the paper in Figure 2. In Figure 1 the threads 6 and I are indicated as having been knitted on a needle particularly indicated at I0 and it Will be seen that the thread 6 slopes upwards and to the 'left andthread 1 upwards and to the right from the needle I0 in conse-I quence of the longitudinal motions of the guide bars 8 and 9 respectively. The sinkers V3`have been moved forward so as to engage each of the Irl-'Figures '10,, inland 12 me downward move- "fxent'l'of 'tghei'needles is further continued and the-'beard' fof thefvr needle is closed by means of a presser' lrvso 'that the" point of the vbeard may ypass inside'th'eloop, indicated at I3, previously formedin the fabric.'f Instead of the usual plain presser bar, itis necessary to provide pressers I2 'capablevof passing between the sinkers I on account 'of the eXtra depth Aof the sinkers neces- 'sar'yior-tlie formation'of the notch 5. `In Figures l3to. 15 the sinkersl` are'witlidr'awn fromfthe'needles, and the needles,"descendin'gA Suu further, arestretchmg the previously formed looped I3 in order to carry anew loop of thread through the oldloop I3. At this stage, the guide bars 8 and 9 havebegun their movement towards the left and right respectively, in theopposite directions to their former movements preparatory to knitting the next course.

In Figures A16 Ato 18 the" needles have' reached theirlowest position 'and have drawn the new loop I4 through the oldloop I3 while the sinkers are moving forward again and have engaged the threads 6- and .1' at #theflevel of their rupper throatsy 5. TheI operations are thenrepeated, the threads 6 and I being'moved in the opposite directions to those described above. f

Since `the point at whichaccuracy of'spacing of the threads `6 and I is required is atA the level of the sinker notches 6,*and`sin'ce the guide bars V8 and 9 are -atsome`distance above this level,

the accuracy required inthef positioning of the guidebarsand '9 is reduced in proportion to their height 'above the `fabric level. Accuracy of the positioning of the notches 5 themselves is assured by the fact `that thesinkers '3 are always in engagement between the needles I, and do not have to Ashift from one between-needle space to another.

From vthe abovedescription-it will be seen that the needle with ywhich each thread of `a 'guide I bar is brought' into such "engagement may be threads 6 and 'I at the level of the upper throat E of the sinker and to push .the threads! behind the line of the needles I. the guide bar 9 has moved a greater distance than the guide bar 8 and in consequence 'off this, as shown in Figure 3, while the thread'y crosses the needle line between the needle II)l and the adjacent needle to the left, 'the thread 1 crosses the needle line between 'the needles next and next but one to the right ofneedle I0., As-

a consquence ofithls, the needles. having risen as shown in Figure 2; have all risen -in iront of It will be seen that a needle'next to that on'which it was last knitted, as in the case of thethread 6, or it maybe some otherfnedie e.g. the needle next-but one to Athat on which itwasiastknitted as inthe case of the thread 1. In the latter case, itis necessary th'at A'thefthread 1"should"not p'ass under the vbeard'bf the'needle for needles intermediatebtwen the neem@ ilo on which-ir, was

' last 'ki'ii'tted` and the needle "on which it is next to beknitted. This 'is brought 'about` by asuitable selection of'thev height of thel notch 5 `by whiehfthe thread f1 1s engaged between'tne the thread 6 whereas one needle, thenedle'next to the right of the needle III, has risenbeh'ihd the thread 1. l y n As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the needles continue to rise so that, as their beards .-risej `'clear of the threads 6 and 'I the threads 6 landl 'I are free to lie against lthe shanks IIof the respective needles and under the beards 2. The-'revfgethena Z-:barrwarp knittedfab'ric vis produced, y75

" needles Ifad the guides 9, andl theextent to :which the sinkers" 3 are moved-at right angles to 'the lineof vthe needles I, whereby each thread fis caused ,topass' behind fthef'ne'edle'or needles itis not-to lbreili'nitted on. I

` "Whe're, v 'asis particularly described above, vtwo sets of threads suchv as 6 `and 'I are knitted -toestaba? che other, the 'threads i, being 'knitted x,

may be` omitted, to produce'f'el single-sbar':1y x11 'v or 2x-2lfabric, or a greater numberfofgbars :may be employed with independent motions, to give a multi-bar fabric.

lReferring now to Figuresvlsand n20, there shown a warp knitting machine `comprising .aV e frame i5 on which the -knitting elements'are carried. Frame I5 also supports warp beams I8 and I1 fromwhich threads 6 and lI,respectively, are drawn, the thread Sipassingoverfthe tension bar I8 on itsfway to guide bar 8i- 'The vtension bar I8 -is pivoted on bracket Il. Guide bars 8 and 9 are mounted for-.movement onvfand relative to fixed guide `shaft yby ,means4 of 'levers 2l. and carriers ZI'.. Needles i y(liii'nre-held in a needle bar 22 which is adapted tQlbe 'moved' up and down by a plurality of `leversl'--secured to shaft 2i. so as to swing in unisonQ-Thesinkers 3 arev carried by rocker leversl, mounted on sinker shaft, while preSSQrs itI are vcarriedl on rocker levers 26 mounted on pressen` shaft 21.- 'I'he levers `22', 24 and 2B` are operated -in any suitable manner. For example, leversjfn' which move the needle bar 22, are operatedby `means of a needle cam 22a through. a follower Iarm fis 22h mounted on shaft 23. The needle `cam is a mere eccentric, itsv center being displacedv on the radius marked N; The rocker leversfjzl which operate the sinkers 3 are given predetermined movement by a sinker caniv 24a. throughy fol'- lower 24h mounted on shaft 2B. Whenthe fadlus N reaches the end of the needle operating arm 21h, the radius .markedB `will have reached the end of thesinker operatlng'jarm 2lb..

At this stage, the needles are in their lowest. position and are about to rise again while the sinkers have just finished their forward movement. It will thus be seen thatjthe sinkersf move forward immediately before. the `needles rise. The knitting of each course iscomplete before the needles reach their lowest position. and: immediately before the cam drop preceding the point on thesinker cam marked S; .y

Means are provided for moving `the thread guides parallel to the length of thefseriesl of needles. 'I'his means comprises a; plurality, of v levers 28'and 29 pivoted on a shaft 313' iournaled:

in a bracket I2 on the frame I5. Levers ZB-andy 29 may be connected to the guide bars as by means of a push rod il which is shown con nected to an angle-iron bracket mounted on guide bar 9 and to the upper end otlever 23. A

spring 351s provided` to minlmizevibration. Re ciprocating motion is given to the` push rodl and the guide bar 9. as well'l as to guidey bar 8,;

by means of pattern wheelsg and. 31` acting upon follower, oneof` whichds ilxedrto cachoty levers 28v and 29..` The follower 3B is caused to f keep in contact with the profile ofi lthe pattern:

wheels fand-31 by` meansiofisprings, 3 9 iattached to brackets 4l fixed' to crossibar 42` on frame-II, Y

As will be appreciated, the'proiile orpattern wheels "and I1 may be alteredv tol give any dei y sired reciprocatlon to guide bars 8l and 9:

, Having described our invention, what we des sire to secure by Letters .Patent l. Method o f warpknitting comprisingvknitting a series of warp threads all together'.y on a series of needles into a succession of courses,

each thread being coniined to a small group off needles, engagingI said series ofv threads: conf stantly at a correspondingserles of points above and in front of said series of needles in order 751:

:t guide each 'warp thread the appropriate needlejnean course, movingfsaid points to and fro "between `successive. courses in a direction parallel tos'a'id series Aof needles so as to 'guide said vwarp threads -to and iro to different needles rin dinerent courses, and periodically, after vthe knitting 0f. each course `o f fabric and immemately beioreatherisingor the needles, mag. ing each thread `between :said vvseriesrofz points 'and the `needle :on which -it was blast lknitted v.and

.pressingit across .the length of vsaid series of `needles into engagement withthe iront of a needle preparatory tof-knitting thenext course.

y2. (Method of warp knitting comprising knitting a. series o f warp tixireads all together on a series of needlesy into a `succession of courses,

each thread being wnfned to'a small groupot needles, engaging said series of ythreads con-V sten'tlyat a corresponding lseries of points above .and in front of said lseries of needles in order to guide each warp thread to the lappropriate needle in each course, lmoving. said points yto and fro between successive courses in a direction parallel to said series of needlesso as to guide saidV warp threads to and iro to different needles' in different courses. and periodically, after the knitting of each course of iabric and lmme. diately'before the rising of the needles, engag- 'ing achthread between said series of points and the `needle on which lity was last knitted and pressingv 'it acrossk the length o! said series of needles into engagement withv the front of 4a 'needle preparatory' to knitting the next course,

the needle in engagement with lthe-front of which each warp 'thread is pressed being, in someat leastl of the courses, `separated by at least one needle from the needle on which said warp threadl wasknitted in the previous course.

3. Method of warp' knitting comprising knitting a series oi'.l Warpy threads all: together on a' series of needles into a :succession .of courses..

'each threadbelng connedto lo. smallgroup of needles. engaging said series of threads con-- stantly at acorrespondingAv seriesgof. points above` and in front of sald'seriesot needles in order to guide each warp thread to the appropriate needle in eachcourse. moving said points to and 1ro `between successive coursesfin a direction paral-l lel to saidfseries of. needles so as to guide said warp threads to and frov izo-different needles in different courses, and periodically, after the knitting of' eachy course of fabric and immediai'ielvk before the; ri'slngo! they needlesl engagingV each thread betweenr said. series of,y points andI theneedle on whichitvwasla'st knittedandpressing itacross the length or said series of needles into engagement `with the fronti off a `needle preparatoryto,=knittingithe next course, the needle intof engagement withl the, front oi?l which each fwarp vthread is, pressedi being, `before some at least of the courses, adiacenti to the needle'on which said warp thread wasrfknitted in the pre- 4, Methodv off warp knitting'y Comprising knitting. azplurality Aof series of' warmthreadsfall rtogetheron a sexiesiof` needlesinto a succession` of courses-, each thread beingf coi'nlned1 to a smallv grouper"needles,v engagingeach seriesof threads. constantly. at a corresponding.. seriesl of points above 'ancl'll in front ofi said series of needles'in order' to' guide@ each warp;thread to the appropriate l needle in. each.l course; moving each offv said series4V ofl points teand iro, independently. of the-other series, ,between successive courses inadlrectionparaliel to' said series of needles so as to guide said warp threads toA and fro to different needles in diil'erentcourseszand periodicallyr-'after theeknitting ofeach course of fabric andrmmediately before the rising of the needles, engaging eacnthread between said series of points and the needle on which it was last knitted and pressing fit across the length o! said series of needles into engagement Wltlrthe' front of a needle preparatory to, knitting the next course.

-5- Method 0f Warp knitting comprising knitting two series of warp threads all together on a' series of needles into a succession of courses,

each thread being confined to a small'grou'p of needles, engaging each series of threads constantly at a corresponding-seriesof points above and in front of said-series of needles in order to guide, each warp thread tothe appropriate needle in each cou-rse, AmovingveachA of said series 'of pointsto and fro,. independently-'of the other series,.between. successive courses in a direction laid warp threadssto and `frov to different Vneedles in dierent courses, and periodically, after'the-v` knlttingot eachcoursey of fabric and irrimediately before therising of theneedles, engaging each thread between said series of ypoints and the needle on which-it was last knitted andv presslng it across thellength'of said series-of needles 'into engagementwith .ther front of a needle prepara-A tory to knittingithe snextcourse, the needle engagement -with the front ofwhich each warp thread or, one series is pressedabeingnext'but" one alternately y `in opposite dir'ections to the needlexonwhich said warp thread was-*knitted*y in the previous-'course.` andi the lneedle'into engagement `with front .ofv which; each warp thread o1' :the other. series-is pressedbeing` adjas" cent @O thegneedle on `whichvsaid warp threadV wasjknitted in the previous course. l

6;. A warp knitting machine comprislnga series of needles, ya series or thread-guides=-disposed"" alwaysa bove and in front of'said needles, means for moving said thread-guides to and'f-roparallel to the 4length ,of vsaidaseries of needles;V a *series of titiread-engaging eleinentsy disposed between and alternating., with the needles off-said series of needles, and means for moving said elements in a direction across the-length of said series of needles to engage the warp-threads Vbetween the said needles and-said guides immediately after the knitting of each course.-

'7.,A warp knitting .machine comprising 'a series-of needles, aseries ofthread-guides disposed always above' and infront of-'said needles,

meansfor moving .saidthread-suides to and froparallel to the length of said series-of needles, a-

series of sinkers valternating 'with the-needles,

said sinkers having additional throats lto engage the warp threads between said needles'andsaid guides, and means for moving-said lsinker's in a" direction across the length' of'said series of needles to effect said engagement immediately after the knitting of each course. 8. A warp knitting machine comprising a posed always, above and -in front of said needles, means for'moving said bar to and fro parallel to the length` of "said"'.`series ofneedle's, a series of y sinkers alternating WithZjthe'needleasaid sinkers having additional throats to'engage'the warp threads between said needles and said bar. and

means vfor moving said sinkers in a'direction across the length' of said series of needles to effect saidv yengagement immediately` after' the knitting of each course.

9.- A" warp machine comprising a series or'needles, a plurality of series of threadguides disposed always above'and in front of said needlea'means for'moving each series of threadguidesgindependently of the remaining series, to and rfro parallel to fthe length of said series of needles, a series of thread-engaging elements disposed between and alternating with the needles of said series of needles, and means for moving said 'elements in a vdirection across the length of said series of needles to engagethe warp threads between the' said needles and said guides immediately after vthe knittingof each course. Y

1Q. A 4warp lknitting machiner comprising a series of needles, twobars'each having a series of passages formed therein for vthe accommodation andiding of'thethreads, said bars heini;l

disposed always above and in front of said needles, means for moving said bars independently o: each other', to and'vfro parallel to the Ylength ot 'said' seriesV of needles, a series of sinkers alternating with the needles,` said sinkers having additional thioats to engage the warp-threads between said needles and said bars, and means for moving said sinkers in a vdirection across the 'length oisaid series of needlesto effectsaid engagement immediately after the knitting of each v 11'. n flat Warp knitting machine comprising a straight series of needles. a straight series of thread-,guides disposed alwaysabove and in front of said needlesfmeans for moving said threadguides to anddfro parallel tothe length of said series o f .needles-a series Aof thread-engaging elements disposed'fbetween and alternating with the needles ot said series of needles, and means i'or moving said elementsin a direction across the length of said series of needles to engage the warp threads between the said needles and said guides immediately after the knitting o1 each course. 1

12. A iiat warp knitting machine comprising a straighti seriesofv needles, two straight bars each havinga series of passages formed therein for the accommodation and guiding of the-- threads, -said bars Abeing A'disposed always `above andin front of said needles, means for moving saldi-bars, independently of. each other, to and fro parallel to the length of said series of needles, a series ofslnkers alternating with the needles, said sinkers having additional throats to engage the warpthreads between said lneedles andl said series o f needles,` a bar havingv a series oi.'I pasl i sages formed therein for `the accommodation and guiding. of the threads, said bai-"being disbars, and means for movingsaid sinkers in a direction across the length of .said series of needles to eiect said engagement immediately after the knitting of eachzcourse. Y

Y y HENRY BOALER.

ALBERT vFAI'RHO:ml/TE GUYLER. 

